Press releases and news

The World Lottery Association endorses the Lottery Holiday Campaign

After a long and comprehensive search, the WLA is pleased to announce the appointment of Philip Springuel as the new WLA Executive Director, effective October 1, 2016. Philip brings with him a solid background in corporate affairs and association management.

The Lottery Holiday Campaign is a corporate social responsibility program designed for lotteries and spearheaded by Washington, D.C.-based National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems and High-Risk Behaviors at Canada’s McGill University in Montreal.

The World Lottery Association (WLA) joins the European Lottery Association and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries in endorsing the campaign, which has one simple message – that lottery tickets are risky gifts for children.

Whether or not it is legal for minors to purchase lottery tickets in a given jurisdiction, a responsible gambling message is always appreciated, especially around the holidays. The Lottery Holiday Campaign encourages parents and loved ones not to give lottery products as holiday gifts to minors. Research shows that the majority of adolescents gamble at least occasionally, and that lottery products may be a gateway to problem gambling. Youth gambling has been shown to be linked to other risk-taking and addictive behaviors such as smoking, drinking and drug use.

Holiday 2016 is the ninth year of the campaign, and NCPG and International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems welcome lottery organizations wishing to partner in this important educational program. Participation is free, and lotteries may utilize a library of resources – such as sample press releases and artwork – to frame their campaigns or to build their own independent programs. The campaign is truly a grass roots effort that allows each lottery organization to tailor the message to the needs of their own jurisdiction.

"The holiday campaign exemplifies how lottery corporations worldwide continue to work with the research and clinical communities in raising awareness about the importance of not encouraging underage gambling. We welcome the WLA’s support during the holiday season as a way of reminding parents that lotteries are for adults."

Jeff Derevensky, Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology at McGill University

Options for participating lotteries

Allow the use of their name as a supporter of the Holiday Lottery Campaign in press releases and any publicized material related to the campaign;

Distribute their own press release concerning the campaign (sample press releases are provided);

Place a link on their website to the NCPG Holiday Campaign website (www.ncpgambling.org/holiday);

Produce and distribute the campaign playcenter insert, which is designed to facilitate rapid and easy customization based on an individual lottery’s needs; and/ or

Develop their own marketing collateral/campaign around the theme that lottery products are not suitable gifts for underage minors. Lotteries are encouraged to develop creative campaigns focused on the central messaging of the initiative.

NCPG and the International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems encourage organizations to use the templates provided or create their own materials. In past years, numerous lotteries have developed multi-channel campaigns to disseminate the message, involving web-based advertisements, social media, press releases, television and radio commercials.

Award winning campaigns

These holiday campaigns generate significant media and press coverage, and the NCPG recognizes the most innovative campaign with an award at its annual conference. Past winners of the Holiday Responsible Gaming Campaign Award are:

Participating lotteries in 2015

Participants may use a variety of collateral which they can customize for their own lotteries.A record 42 lotteries participated in the 2015 campaign, an increase from 38 lotteries in 2014. Of the 42 participating lotteries, more than half are members of the WLA.

The lotteries participating in the Lottery Holiday Campaign are listed below. WLA members are indicated by an asterisk.

For more information

Lynette Gilbeau, Research Coordinator at McGill University’s International Centre for Youth Gambling Problems, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.